Primary lymphoma of nasolacrimal drainage system: a case report and literature review

Primary lymphoma of the lacrimal drainage system (LDS) is an extremely rare condition. All of those previously reported have been of B-cell origin, with the exception of 1 case report of a natural killer/T-cell lymphoma in a Japanese woman. We report a 41-year-old Chinese woman who had a primary diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma of left LDS. After 8 cycles of CHOP (cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan], doxorubicin hydrochloride [Adriamycin], vincristine, and prednisone) therapy and further 14 months' follow-up, the patient's conditions were stable without evidence of recurrence. After reviewing associated articles, an interesting finding which, to the best of our knowledge, has never been described before is that all the expired or recurrent cases of primary lymphoma of lacrimal drainage system are of women, including the only 1 case of natural killer/T-cell lymphoma. In our opinion, sex should be considered 1 of the prognostic factors in primary lymphoma of LDS. The relationship between this tumor and hormone response is to be determined.